Creativity, humor, love at Balboa Park craft sale.

The City of San Diego’s annual Agewell Craft Sale was held this weekend in Balboa Park. Local artists came together at the Casa del Prado to sell unique crafts they’d made by hand.

I noticed a good crowd of people perusing the crafts today with only an hour to go in the sale. I enjoyed looking at the amazing crafts–every sort, including very original creations–which filled artist tables inside and outside the Casa del Prado. I saw lots of potential holiday gifts.

In addition, kids were making art in an activity corner and filling a North Pole postal box, there was a raffle, and entertainment by The Ukes of Hazard musical ukulele group was making everyone smile.

Okay, I especially liked some super funny crafts made by artist Leslie Wagoner. You can see a couple of her hilarious creations in my first two photographs, above and below.

Creativity and fun everywhere you turn…

Adult visitors were invited to create art, too!

Lastly, one kindly artist was selling beautiful crafts in order to raise funds in support of Nazareth Orphanage in Tecate, Mexico. The orphanage is home to young boys and girls whose parents are unable to care for them.

For over twenty years, Father Brian Kelly, a Navy Chaplain stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, has led volunteer efforts in support of Nazareth Orphanage.

If you’d like to read about this and perhaps provide a donation, click here.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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A quaint, old 19th century chapel in Oceanside.

I was exploring the neighborhood near Balderrama Park in Oceanside when I spied this quaint old structure at 1510 Lemon Street. I had stumbled upon the historical 1893 St. Mary’s Chapel.

The location of today’s much larger St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, near the Oceanside Civic Center, is where this old chapel was originally built. The wooden chapel, affectionately called the Capillita, was completed in 1896.

The city of Oceanside was incorporated a few years earlier, in 1888, when its population was only 1000.

After the city had grown and a larger church was built in 1927, the chapel served as Parish Hall. The small chapel was later moved to its present location. It was restored in 1977.

You can read about its history here.

The St. Mary’s Chapel remains very active, as I saw during my walk. A service was being held inside, and I didn’t want to intrude.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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San Diego submersible in Star Trek: Enterprise!

The Maritime Museum of San Diego recently acquired DeepFlight I, a unique “flying” underwater submersible developed in the late 1990s. You can read more about this amazing, advanced submersible here.

Visitors to the San Diego museum might be astonished to learn that this one-of-a-kind prototype appears in every episode of Star Trek: Enterprise!

DeepFlight I can be seen momentarily in the Star Trek: Enterprise introductory sequence, which begins every episode. The sequence depicts the evolution of human technology and exploration. DeepFlight I appears at the 34 second mark here!

Super cool!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Star of India at sunset from Waterfront Park.

Enjoy a few photographs. They were taken today in San Diego a few minutes after sunset.

The western sky was fiery orange and red, making an incredible backdrop for Star of India, docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The world-famous tall ship was strung with magical lights.

The sunset’s colors reflected brilliantly from the park’s watery fountain and a slice of San Diego Bay in the distance.

Truly awesome!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Working high in the sky above Statsraad Lehmkuhl!

Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl is now docked in downtown San Diego at Broadway Pier. It will be visiting our city through Sunday.

This morning, as I walked out on the pier, I noticed crew members high in the sky, preparing a huge banner that would hang like a sail from one of the ship’s yards. I sat down on a bench and watched the action! And took some photos!

Would you dare work so high above the ship’s deck, clinging like a spider to a windswept web? I don’t think I’d have the courage! Or agility!

To the crew member who waved down at me: Hello!

The public will be able to step aboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl this Saturday, November 15, 2025, between noon and 3 pm. It’s free!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Chuckwagon and buckboard progress in Escondido!

Back in July, I posted a detailed blog about a chuckwagon that was being built at the Escondido History Center. Yesterday I saw the chuckwagon again, and it’s almost finished!

Here’s how it appeared a few months ago:

Yesterday, this is the chuckwagon displayed outside of the Penner Barn:

The vehicle, representative of the Old West, is mostly assembled now. I was told a few additional things must be done. The cloth covering is obviously one of those things.

What project is next at the history center’s Bandy Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop? An old-fashioned buckboard!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Tour a Norwegian tall ship in San Diego!

This coming Saturday, November 15, 2025, between noon and 3 pm, the public is invited to step aboard Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl, which is currently visiting San Diego.

The large, beautiful 1914 ship with an intriguing history is docked downtown at the Broadway Pier. It arrived yesterday and will be staying in San Diego through Sunday.

Why is the three-masted barque, based in Bergen, Norway, tied up to Broadway Pier? The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is on a 12-month global voyage as ambassador for the UN Ocean Decade. Its One Ocean Expedition includes sail training, ocean science, education and diplomacy to inspire action for a sustainable ocean.

From San Diego it will sail down to Mexico, then Central and South America. According to a banner that I photographed, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl will visit a total of 26 ports on 3 continents, and travel 30,000 nautical miles!

Yesterday I took some photos from the pier to provide an idea of the tall ship’s immense size and beauty. If you’re downtown on Saturday, you might want to step aboard. It’s your possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Yellow Ribbon Fund helps disabled Veterans.

Have you heard of the Yellow Ribbon Fund? I hadn’t, until I met some friendly people in Escondido during todays’ Veterans Day Parade.

The Yellow Ribbon Fund, as the above sign indicates, provides free events and programs to eligible disabled post-9/11 veterans and their families. I had to check out their website, which you can also do by clicking here.

I learned the organization enhances the lives of military families facing medical crisis.

As they explain: Yellow Ribbon Fund was one of the first veteran service organizations to recognize the importance of keeping the family together during the critical recuperation phase. Through the creation of our key programs: Crossroads and Keystone, we are able to make an impact on veterans and their families nationwide.

If you’d like to help these good people out, go to their website and explore the possibilities!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Photos of Veterans Day Parade in Escondido!

The 6th Annual Veterans Day Parade was held today in downtown Escondido. Residents of various neighboring cities came together to enjoy what has been renamed the North County VetFest and Veterans Day Parade.

In the mid-morning I stood with spectators along North Broadway at the edge of Grape Day Park. A group assembled on the street in front of Review Stand 1 sang the National Anthem. Then a minute or two later…here came the parade!

Over fifty units would pass by to cheers and applause. There were community organizations, clubs, schools with marching bands, church groups, politicians, scouts, cadets, pageant and rodeo queens, firefighters, equestrian groups, local businesses… But most importantly, there were the honored Veterans.

Veterans from many generations and wars, who’ve sacrificed for all of us, waved from passing classic cars, vintage ambulances, trailers and other vehicles. They received the greatest applause.

I photographed many of the passing units. I’m now going to share a fraction of my shots from the parade. Some of the best ones.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Veterans Day ceremony at Escondido’s Wall of Courage.

A Veterans Day ceremony was held today in Escondido at the Wall of Courage, in Grape Day Park. The annual event, honoring the courage and sacrifice of veterans, is organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1513.

The beautiful ceremony included the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and an Invocation, before a few speeches were given. Themes I noted included dedication, resilience, gratitude and friendship.

God Bless America was sung powerfully by a young gentleman. Escondido Mayor Dane White was present in the audience and was summoned to the podium to give a few words.

Remarks by a past VFW Commander encouraged everyone to support others, not just veterans. There’s a lot of loneliness in the world. Reaching out to others with a few kind words is true service. If you know a vet, or anyone who might need it, from time to time call up or text and provide a friendly hello.

At the end of the ceremony, Thank You cards were handed out to all of the veterans present.

The cards were hand made by students at nearby Classical Academy. Hundreds of cards were made.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!